Teaching the Arts in Higher Education: Teaching Philosophies from Finland and South Africa. A Collaborative Autoethnography
Cruywagen, Sonja; Sutela, Katja; Jaako, Jussi; Ylönen, Susanne C.; Stolp, Eveliina; Espag, Dana; Ervasti, Marja; Salminen, Sanna; Manenye, Masedi G.; Ntaka, Goodwill M. (2025-03-31)
Pennsylvania State University
31.03.2025
Cruywagen, S., Sutela, K., Jaako, J., Ylönen, S. C., Stolp, E., Espag, D., Ervasti, M., Salminen, S., Manenye, M. G., Nataka, G. M. (2025). Teaching the arts in higher education: Teaching philosophies from Finland and South Africa. A collaborative autoethnography. International Journal of Education & the Arts, 26(13). http://doi.org/10.26209/ijea26n13
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-202506254966
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-202506254966
Tiivistelmä
Abstract
This article documents the collaborative effort of a group of tertiary arts educators from Finland and South Africa. The methodological starting point of this study is collaborative autoethnography, as it focuses on our shared experiences and narratives. The data comprises our personal narratives, in which we highlight unique aspects of our teaching philosophies. Theoretical premises include concepts of compassion and caring. The results suggest that our teaching philosophies emphasize the creation of a positive learning environment, facilitated by embracing student diversity, making informed pedagogical choices, understanding learning methods, and demonstrating emotional awareness. Our narratives also include insights from the authors’ reflections on our students’ life experiences, shedding light on their diverse skills, self-awareness, and critical thought. Optimal learning, as the findings suggest, depends on emotional support, active participation, fostering a sense of collaborative belonging, and integrated learning.
This article documents the collaborative effort of a group of tertiary arts educators from Finland and South Africa. The methodological starting point of this study is collaborative autoethnography, as it focuses on our shared experiences and narratives. The data comprises our personal narratives, in which we highlight unique aspects of our teaching philosophies. Theoretical premises include concepts of compassion and caring. The results suggest that our teaching philosophies emphasize the creation of a positive learning environment, facilitated by embracing student diversity, making informed pedagogical choices, understanding learning methods, and demonstrating emotional awareness. Our narratives also include insights from the authors’ reflections on our students’ life experiences, shedding light on their diverse skills, self-awareness, and critical thought. Optimal learning, as the findings suggest, depends on emotional support, active participation, fostering a sense of collaborative belonging, and integrated learning.
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